Chapter 2

Valerie stood in the shambles of her bedroom, incredulous at what Kallie was doing. Nearly everything she owned was strewn about the room in different piles. Kallie was now pawing through a pile of dresses, holding up different ones at arm’s length, frowning, and tossing them back into the pile.

“You don’t have any decent short, flirty dresses,” Kallie lamented.

“And what the hell do I need those for?” Valerie demanded. “I’m going to the beach, not a party.”

Kallie was exasperated. “Just because you aren’t planning on anything doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be prepared.” And on it went. Kallie wasn’t happy until Valerie had two suitcases full of clothes. “Options” she called them. Valerie didn’t have the heart to tell her best friend that she would probably end up wearing her favorite faded jeans and t-shirts the whole time. She just wanted to get the packing done.

Finally, Valerie was on her way. She had a long drive ahead of her, but that didn’t bother her. She had her music, a full tank of gas, and a mission. She was not going to waste this long weekend. Today was Wednesday. She was going to come back to Albany on Monday morning a new woman, or die trying.

As Valerie’s Jeep approached the Long Island Expressway, she started to get excited. Kallie’s place was practically in the ocean. She could look out the window of the master bedroom and see the water. There was private access to the beach; it was perfect. The house on Gracie Lane had been in Kallie’s family for generations. Not long enough for them to be considered Bonnackers, but pretty damn close. Kallie could sell the place for tens of million dollars if she wanted to, hell the beach rights alone would bring that in, but she never would. Kallie loved the beach almost as much as Valerie did.

April was the best time to go to the Hamptons. Before Easter, if you could manage it. Once Easter rolls around, all the city people started going out on weekends to get their houses ready for the Season. Forget going in the summer; you’d be lucky to make it from Dressen’s to the other end of Newtown Lane in anything less than fifteen minutes once summer got into full swing.

As Valerie drove through Southampton, her excitement grew. She’d been driving for hours now, and the Sip ‘n’ Soda was coming up. She had her very first Lime Rickey there a million years ago, when she had come out with Kallie’s family on vacation when she was ten. She had to stop now; it was tradition. Whenever one or both of them traveled out to the manse, as they jokingly called it, they always stopped for Lime Rickeys.

She pulled into a coveted spot out front, and went in. The place was just as she remembered it; a 50’s-style diner with the best décor this side of Mayberry. She sat at the counter and ordered her drink, and a plate of fries to go with it. This was the first step in coming back to herself; indulging in guilty pleasures without feeling guilty about it.

After her snack, she paid her bill, leaving a generous tip, and headed back to the street. She hesitated a moment before getting into her car, the nostalgia getting to her. Valerie missed those carefree days of her youth. She may not be as young as she used to be, but she could be as carefree. She just had to put the last two years, and the previous ten of her marriage, behind her and move on. For heaven’s sake, she was 40, not dead.

Valerie pulled back out onto the main road, and continued her journey. Another half hour and she’d be at the house on Gracie Lane. Another five minutes after that, and she’d be on the beach. She could feel her soul lighten just at the thought of the miles of sand and acres of ocean.

When she got to the house, Valerie stood on the porch, gazing out toward the water. The smell of the sea air was invigorating, and the sound of the waves crashing to the shore was intoxicating. Unable to suppress a smile, she ran to the edge of the porch and vaulted the railing, landing in the soft sand below. God, it’d been years since she’d done that. Valerie kicked off her shoes and ran for the water’s edge. She stood there, heedless of the frigid water lapping at her feet, for the better part of an hour, just watching the waves, and feeling the breeze blow away some of the sadness of the past years.

After watching the sunset, Valerie went back to the house to unpack, and to make a shopping list.

She was going to throw herself a party.